Thank you, Nick, for your information....Deeper reading of my scrawled notes for that year does show that indeed Alan WAS offered an MV....
It is Nick Harris's book of the TT which has confused us - He states that Alan "rode" an MV that year..Must be a slip of the finger..

I'm sad to hear Alan is not so fit, I too remember him but as a MZ rider when the team were based at the Fernleigh, behind the Falcon Cliff...